Karachi’s policemen — in the line of fire

Cops with barely any safety gear have little chances of surviving in the streets

KARACHI: There is a simple rule for the police force established to protect the lives of citizens - protect yourself before protecting others. Unfortunately, along with a shortage of police strength in Karachi, the force also lacks adequate security equipment such as bulletproof jackets and helmets.

"What do we have enough of? We do not have enough of anything," laughed police constable Muhammad Irshad who guards polio teams. "Thank God at least we have uniforms and weapons," he quipped.



Never-ending nightmare

There was time in Karachi when there was no fear of an attack on polio teams. The night of July 20, 2012 changed that. The attacks began that day, spreading fear that thrives till today. On that fateful night, Dr Ishaq, a doctor associated with the World Health Organization's polio prevention campaign, was gunned down in Sohrab Goth's alAsif Square. Since then, around a dozen similar incidents have occurred in Karachi. Attacks in Sohrab Goth, Gulshan-e-Maymar, Gulshan-e-Bunair, Qayyumabad, Orangi Town and Nazimabad have so far claimed the lives of over half-a-dozen polio workers, nine cops and a doctor.

Last month in two consecutive attacks, seven policemen were gunned down in Orangi Town while guarding polio workers. Unfortunately, most of the policemen on guard duty, particularly during anti-polio drives, are sent without proper safety equipment.

'They could've been saved'

An official at Abbasi Shaheed Hospital's medico-legal section said "They [cops slain in Orangi] could have been saved if they had donned proper bulletproof jackets and helmets." He added that terrorists often shoot policemen in their chests or heads as there are few chances of survival then.

"In Pakistan, particularly in Karachi, you will find that the better-equipped police, with all their security gadgets and protective gear, are only for guarding VVIPs and the local police are for the locals," said a low-ranked frustrated cop. "This means either the police department or the government is not sincere with the polio workers or those guarding them."

Training trumps gear

Police officials plan to initiate short vigilance courses for cops performing security duties and patrolling in order to avoid similar attacks. "Protection of the policemen guarding others should be the first priority and we are initiating courses in which we can train them about how to avoid such attacks and be more vigilant," said East DIG Kamran Fazal. "Mostly the terrorists are able to target the cops when they are in a vulnerable situation, such as when they are eating food," he explained.



The Karachi police already suffer from a massive shortage of personnel, so the local police are usually unable to provide protection to polio workers during campaigns. The local police must then call for personnel from the Sindh Reserve Police, under-training cops, Rapid Response Force or the Special Security Unit to provide protection.

Extra personnel

The local SHO has to inform the DIG office of the staff shortage before the polio campaign in his area. "We have to inform them and ask them to provide more personnel," explained one of the SHOs of District Central, who requested to remain anonymous. "Last time, I asked for 100 personnel. Interestingly they called 100 personnel from rural Sindh but did not send them to our police station with the excuse that 'your police station's area is too small'," said the officer, explaining that the personnel were provided to other police stations that serve a larger area than his police station. "In such circumstances, if any untoward incident occurs who will be responsible? They will definitely forget what they did and they will instead punish me by suspending me," said the officer.

"Most of the time we have to provide the surplus contingents with arms, ammunition as well as bulletproof jackets even though we are already short on these things."

Published in The Express Tribune, May 16^th, 2016.